


Listen Up, Brooklyn

by darkest_nights_will_end



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, Gen, I see it as established Sprace but if that's not your thing you can interpret it otherwise, If you think this is based on Ben's version of LFTR then you are RIGHT, Letter from the Refuge AU, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Race in the Refuge, Race tries and fails to use humor and anger to cover his fear, Sprace can be seen as platonic or romantic I guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-12-02 08:45:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11505807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkest_nights_will_end/pseuds/darkest_nights_will_end
Summary: Race writes a letter to Spot.





	Listen Up, Brooklyn

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my first shot at Newsies fic!  
> I've been mulling around with the thought of Race in the Refuge for a while, and how he would differ from Crutchie. I'd love to turn this into a series of sorts, if anyone is interested? I have a series of headcanons posted on my tumblr (darkest-nights-will-end)!
> 
> I also tried to strike a balance between Race using sarcasm to hide his pain and fear, and his actual feelings coming through, which is partially why what he says contrasts itself, sometimes within the same line- with the most glaring instance occurring within the last lines.
> 
> I didn't write in any sort of New York phrasing or dialect unless it seemed out of place otherwise (gotta, ain't, etc).
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little drabble of sorts!

Conlon,   

 

Fuck you. We asked for your help, and you let us get our asses kicked, knowing full well that we needed you. Now it’s your fault I’m stuck in this god forsaken place. If I die in here, it’s on you. 

 

Alright, maybe it’s not entirely your fault. But I’m still pissed at you. 

 

And, just so we’re clear, I’m not here because I’m weak. Far from it. _ I _ certainly didn’t need your help, ‘cause I’m a self-sufficient kind of guy. But maybe some of the other guys could have used you.

 

I saw them going after Crutch, and I wasn’t about to let that happen. He doesn’t deserve any of this, and I know nobody is going to go easy on him, even with a bum leg. I can handle it. And Jack doesn’t need me as much as he needs Crutch or Dave. I can handle it here. 

 

Don’t worry about me or anything. I’m doing just fine. Although I gotta say, they’re lacking a sense of humor around here. They made it crystal clear right away that they ain’t a fan of my mouth. It only took a few minutes before they were taking the cigar from me and burning holes into the skin. They don’t care about the sound of screaming and the begging them to stop. They don’t care that they already beat the crap outta all us newsies. They just care about proving they’re better than we are.

 

Oh, and to add insult to injury? They took them away. All of my cigars. You know how much they cost? I didn’t even steal these ones, I was an honest man and bought them with my own money! And now I have no cards, no smokes, no bets, no nothing. They really have no manners here. They haven’t even fed us yet. You know when the last time I ate was? Cause I don’t. You’d think they were trying to kill us by the way we’re getting treated. 

 

They probably are.

 

Listen up, Brooklyn. I ain't writing to whine at you about how much this place sucks, and I ain't even writing to yell at you for not backing us up in the first place. I’m calling in a favor. A personal favor, not a business one.  I know you ain’t involved in the strike, but you gotta watch out for Manhattan. Newsies are family, doesn’t matter what borough we’re from. If the strike has taught me anything, it’s that we need to stick together. 

 

I need you to have their back, because I can’t right now. And I can’t have anyone else winding up here. Not everyone is cut out for this kinda treatment. I don’t know if I’m cut out for it. 

 

Please, Spot. I need you to do this for me, alright? I don’t want to see any of those boys hurt. 

 

You know you’re the most powerful newsie in New York. When you say the word, all of the city rallies behind you. This is the time to prove what Brooklyn can do. Manhattan needs you.  _ I  _ need you.

 

I suppose I should probably wrap up now. If Snyder catches me, I’m done for sure.  ~~ I’m already not too sure I’ll make it. ~~

 

So I’ll see you soon, yeah? I know you’re probably forming some plan now to bust me out of this place, but I’m sick of being here, so if you could do it sooner rather than later, that’d be much appreciated. I never thought I’d say this, but I kinda miss Brooklyn. But you’d better not tell anyone I said that- I ain’t weak.

 

Hey Spot? Stay safe, please. 

 

_ Racetrack  _


End file.
